Wildflower Wednesday

In mid-July the sunny golden Stella 'd Oro daylilies are in full bloom.  They certainly live up to the English translation of their name - Star of Gold.  Planted with these wild Oxeye Daisies, they make a cheery flower bed as they bob in the breeze coming off of the lake.

I can hardly imagine calling the daisies an invasive species, but so they have been named by the Minnesota DNR.  I always have thought of them as a native prairie flower, but apparently they are native to Europe and were brought here as an ornamental flower.   They have become a major roadside 'weed,' though they are not a serious threat to intact prairie or savanna.

Now, the definition of a weed is 'a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation,' and I think that daisies along the roadsides are particularly lovely.  I wouldn't call them weeds at all!

Brilliant Reflections

Early July at Smith Lake was spectacular this year.  The skies were so clear at sunset that the reflection of the sun off of the lake was nearly blinding.

By the second weekend in July the smoke in the atmosphere from wildfires in the western states replaced this brilliance with a softer glow.

Catching the big one

As last Saturday day drew to a close and I hurried down to snap a sunset photo, a neighbor's grandson pulled out a huge Northern Pike right in front of our dock.  The lighting was just right to silhouette the boat, the fisherman and the catch of the day!  He brought it in to show the rest of the family and then....Splash!  It was catch-and-release.

A spectacular Fourth

The long Independence Day weekend at the Lake was just what many of us needed to relax and rejuvenate our spirits.  Weather was sunny, not too hot, not too cold, ...Just right!

The boat parade was another rousing success, and at the end deteriorated into a watery reenactment of some Revolutionary War battle or another.  The spectators were as enthusiastic as the participants.

A blazing campfire at sunset was just the right way to burn off those small branches we picked up earlier in the day before mowing the lawn.  S'Mores anyone?

The anticipation of evening fireworks filled the air, and appreciation for the freedoms we share as Americans filled our hearts.

A good breeze kept most of the mosquitoes away, but an extension cord powering a box fan proved to be the real trick to watching Garrison fireworks from our dock without being eaten alive.  There were a few families that shared their patriotic spirit by setting off some fireworks from their docks on the lake, which we also enjoyed.

Wildflower Wednesday

Single Peony

Every week there are new wildflowers to see along the roadways and in the gardens along Smith and Holt Lakes in Minnesota.  This week the lovely old fashioned peonies are in full bloom.

This plant must be quite old.  It has a single flower, unlike the full double flowers we are more familiar with in our garden at home.  I wonder if it was planted by Barney and Anna when they first built the cabin in the 1930's.



In the open spaces, lawns and roadsides we can see large swaths of oxeye daisies.  Can you just imagine little girls making daisy chain wreaths from these cheerful summer flowers?

Oxeye Daisies along the roadside

In the deeper shade there are pops of yellow flowers bobbing their heads on fine stems.  They are Swamp Buttercups, and you can see where the color Buttercup Yellow get's it's name.

Swamp Buttercups brighten the woodlands

Finally, the most unusual find along the roadside.  At first I thought this was a volleyball, but no, it's a Giant Puffball!  I have never seen a mushroom this large before.  After spotting the first one close to the road, I saw several smaller ones in the same area.

Giant Puffball 

Thunderclouds in the distance

The last weekend in June brought dramatic skies and sunsets to our little piece of heaven.

Tall thunderclouds could be seen in the distance above the treeline.  Most of the storms passed around us, and those that rumbled through were short lived.  The colors of the sunset changed by the minute, and every time I thought I had taken just the perfect photo, a new view presented itself as if to say, "I'm not done yet!"

An early summer walk

Such a rainy spring and early summer!     

It is good to take advantage of the breaks in the sprinkles 

to take a refreshing walk along the road.  

The irises are showing off the dewdrops as we pass by the woodland gardens.  

Among the wildflowers, we find Dames Rocket peeking at us through the split rail fence.  

It looks very much like Phlox, but blooms much earlier.

Around the corner there is a lovely glade filled with ferns.  

Most look like delicate Bracken and Ostrich Ferns,

but there is a stretch of Rattlesnake Ferns which have a much wider leaf.

Such a threatening name for a lovely plant!

 Delicate pink Wild Geraniums peek out from the ferns to say "Hello."

"Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own;"

Dickens